Many types of mobile work machines have stabilizer legs or outriggers that extend downwardly and outwardly from opposite sides of the machine. During various digging and excavating operations executed using a work implement of the machine, the stabilizer legs engage the ground to laterally support the machine. In this manner, stabilizer legs aid in maintaining a steady and solid working foundation, as well as guarding against possible tipping of the machine. Stabilizer legs may be hydraulically operated, for example, to extend, retract, lower or raise their positions depending on the topography and/or work environment in which the machine is operating. Additionally, stabilizer legs may include stabilizer pads disposed at the distal ends of the stabilizer legs for engaging the ground surface.
Stabilizer pads have conventionally been rotationally disposed at the distal ends of stabilizer legs and included two or more sides adapted for engaging the ground surface. For example, stabilizer pads may include a first side having a rubber or other pliable material for contacting paved surfaces. The stabilizer pad may also include a second side having spikes, grousers or other rigid members for contacting dirt, gravel or other earth surfaces. During operation of the machine, such reversible stabilizer pads may be rotated so as to employ the appropriate side, depending on the ground surface on which the machine is operating. For example, when on a paved surface, the machine operator will likely position the stabilizer pads such that the rubber or pliable material contacts the ground surface rather than the rigid spikes or grousers of the alternate side, which may damage the paved surface. Likewise, when off-road on a dirt or gravel surface, for example, the machine operator will likely position the stabilizer pads such that the rigid spikes or grousers engage and dig into the ground surface thereby providing additional traction and stabilization that the rubber material alone would be incapable of providing. However, in order to switch between the different sides of these reversible stabilizer pads, operation of the machine must cease, the distal ends of the stabilizer legs having the stabilizer pads disposed thereon must be raised, and the stabilizer pads must be manually flipped to the appropriate side. This process of manually flipping the stabilizer pad is not only tedious for the machine operator or other personnel; it also decreases the overall efficiency of the operation. Therefore, a work machine that alternates during its operation between paved surfaces and off-road or earth surfaces would benefit from a stabilizer leg and pad configuration that may be employed on all surfaces without requiring the manual flipping or rotating of the stabilizer pad when moving from a paved surface to an off-road surface, or vice versa.